Middle Ages Regents Practice

Which document established the principle of limited monarchy in England?

1. Twelve Tables

2. Magna Carta

3. Act of Supremacy

4. Balfour Declaration

The correct answer is: Magna Carta

The Magna Carta, signed in 1215, is the document that established the principle of limited monarchy in England. It emerged from a conflict between King John and a group of rebellious barons who sought to limit the king's power and protect their rights. The document laid down essential principles, such as the idea that the monarchy was not above the law and that certain legal rights were guaranteed to the nobility and, by extension, to all citizens over time. By asserting that the king could not arbitrarily impose taxes and could only be tried by a jury of his peers, the Magna Carta fundamentally shifted the understanding of governance in England. This concept of limited monarchy was crucial in the development of constitutional law and established precedents that would influence future democratic principles, including the importance of individual rights and the rule of law. The other options do not relate to the principle of limited monarchy. The Twelve Tables were a set of laws from ancient Rome, the Act of Supremacy dealt with the English Reformation and established the Church of England's independence from the papacy, and the Balfour Declaration expressed British support for a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. Each of these documents serves a different historical context and purpose, distinct from the establishment of